Established in 2014, Tampa Bay Rants and Raves is a weekly airing of local and national news, sports and historical notes from a politically incorrect viewpoint. 

First thing on our mind:

We tip our cap to the Lake Mary Little League team who brought Florida its first ever Little League Championship.

Leading off: The Times is dying

We are old enough to remember five newspapers in the bay area, two each in St Pete and Tampa (one of those unfortunately bought out by The Times) and one in Clearwater. Now we are down to one paper that delivers twice a week. Last Monday’s on-line issue was 25 pages. We edited newspapers on Air Force bases that were larger. In just the last year, the Times has been on the wrong side of a major lawsuit; downsized their Tampa operation and now a major staff cut. They recently offered buyouts to 250+ employees and it shows. Lately, stories included financial misinformation about a Clearwater rate hike; very incomplete reporting on Florida’s condo crisis and generally very poor editing. Last week one panelist on WEDU’s Florida This Week bemoaned the lessening of the Time’s “watchdog” function; that function completely depends on the letter following the individual or group’s name. Their model of a newspaper existing to support some liberal think tank does not work. Now, they are faced with a choice – sell out to a relatively healthier news organization or close the doors. It is a decision that will need to be made very soon.

Tampa Bay, politics and notes:

Related to our lead article: most of the Times’ wounds are self-inflicted. Their August 28 edition buries a huge story about White House censorship on Facebook while the front page runs a story trashing concerned parents who want better oversight in our classrooms.

So Joe, where are you working these days?

The Democratic presidential wannabe warns us that President Trump, if elected, would wield power ruthlessly – you know like show trials of his predecessor, bad stuff like that.

If you think the cost of owning a car in Florida is expensive, you’re right. Recent studies show Florida is the fourth most expensive state to own a vehicle, considering insurance, maintenance and fuel costs. Only Georgia, Indiana and Louisiana are higher.

Three tips of the cap to the shareholders of Coke, Home Depot and UPS for their efforts to get those companies to return to hiring by merit.

It’s not a good time to be selling an office building, with such structures selling for as low as forty percent of their previous purchase price.

Reading of the passing of Ardith Rutland reminds us of the impact of her family in banking, shopping and philanthropy in the bay area.

Born this week (Sept. 8) in 1900 was the only Floridian to serve in the U.S. House, then the Senate and then return to the House – Claude Pepper.

Sports, media and other notes:

Election news from the 5:05 Newsletter: Illegal aliens released at the border seen wearing “I Voted” stickers.

After 44 years, Busch Gardens’ Scorpion rollercoaster ran its last rides this past weekend.

Idle thought which we are going to attribute to our friend TL: Always drive your own car and not your wife’s.

Speaking of cars, one missing element at last week’s Georgia Tech-FSU shocker of a football game in Dublin, Ireland was Tech’s iconic mascot, the Ramblin’ Wreck. It was just too expensive and slow to get the 1930 Ford convertible over and back in time for Tech’s home opener.

A compelling question posed by one of our favorite sports columnists, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Mark Bradley: “Just what does the NCAA do?”

Number of the week: 4 – the number of coaches UF has employed since Urban Meyer left 14 years ago. And with Billy Napier’s 44% win percentage, only a massive payout due will save him if this season isn’t better.

The Athletic’s panel of football experts predicts an eight win season for the Bucs with division rivals Atlanta at nine and New Orleans also at eight. They predict the best win records for the 49ers and the Chiefs.

A recent survey of major league median ticket prices reveals the Phillies ($77) and Dodgers ($68) as the highest. Lowest prices are Miami ($17) and the Angels ($18). Biggest surprise – the Yanks are only fifth highest ($56).

Tops at the box office fifty years ago this week was the Jack Nicholson-Faye Dunaway film Chinatown.

One last thing: MLB at the top of the stretch

With a month to go, there is only one cinch to win a division – the NL Central’s Milwaukee Brewers. All other divisions are within six games or less with a couple dozen to play. But in both leagues, there are only seven teams realistically fighting for six playoff spots. It should be a fun month. Aaron Judge is only the third legit hitter (along with Maris and Stanton) to hit 50 home runs before the end of August and he’s done it twice. Some others have done it, but their names are Bonds, Sosa, and McGwire. Need we say more? Judge is the runaway MVP in the AL. Still don’t think they will (or should) give it to a DH only (Ohtani or Ozuna) in the NL. Postseason predictions will come at month’s end.

UP NEXT: Channel 16; Economics 101; Great ship to Florida?

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